What if your healing, your answers, and your happily ever after all started with one woman’s divine plan?

Ninety-something Mama Laverne isn’t just baking pies and offering wisdom—she’s rewriting destinies, one great-grandchild at a time. Her matchmaking streak? Unbreakable. Her timing? Impeccable.

The latest mission? A decorated war veteran and a woman with a forgotten past. Was Mama Laverne alone in this one or did she have help from the past??

Chancellor Madaris walked through fire—literally—and lived to tell the tale. But he’s still learning how to live again.

Zoey Pritchard survived a childhood tragedy and lost her memory along the way. But now the truth is clawing its way to the surface, and it just might shatter everything she thought she knew.

Their meeting isn’t by chance—it’s orchestrated with love, faith, and some persistence. But healing the past means facing the kind of truths that don’t come easy.

Can love truly rewrite the past? Can a stranger become your safest place? And what if the greatest risk… is letting someone in?

"Spilling the Tea" is more than a romance—it’s a soul search dressed in southern charm, tender heat, and family roots that run deep.

Enjoyed this book, as I have read several of the Westmoreland family books. It was cool to see how the family began, and just why Mama Laverne is such a strong woman. It was also good to see Chancellor Madaris open his heart again to love. That foolish ex-fiancee never deserved him, and to see just how wicked she was ... he definitely dodged a bullet with her. Brenda Jackson rarely disappoints, and this is definitely top-caliber writing from her.

Thanks to NetGalley for this arc, which I voluntarily reviewed.

Spilling the Tea is Brenda Jackson’s the latest in installment the Madaris series and it was a page turning read. In this installment, we meet Chancellor Madaris and Zoey Prichard. Chancellor was injured while in the military and though doctors told him he would never walk again, Mama Laverne knew otherwise. Five years later, Chance is a successful rancher waiting to see when Mama Laverne will set her match-making sites on him.

Zoey Pritchard survived a car accident during her childhood, however her parents were not as fortunate and she has no memory of her parents prior to the accident. After her aunt passes, Zoey travels to Houston in search of her history, never expecting to meet the hot and sexy Chance or uncover the scandal that once darkened the Madaris family.

Mrs. Jackson did a great job crafting, weaving past and present events to tell a compelling story of love, lies, hatred, and pride. Readers will fall in love with Zoey’s spirit and determination. While she has been thrown curveballs during her life, it did not stop her from pursuing a career in medicine like her parents. When Zoey encounters Chance, the chemistry between them is evident. While Zoey wants to pursue it, Chance is resistant. Chance has been a loner since his injury and he is a Madaris so you know he has the “Madaris pride” so one wrong move and it’s a done deal. Lol. However, love is a strong emotion and Chance could not help is growing feelings toward Zoey. It was good to see cameos from a few favorites and a glimpse of who may be next on the horizon. This is a page turner as readers get to learn more of Mama Laverne and Milton Sr’s love story and the scandal. Overall, I enjoyed this was a very good read and page turn.

# ★★★★ Secrets, Love & Family Drama
I couldn't put down Brenda Jackson's 150th novel! Spilling the Tea hooked me with its back-and-forth between past and present, slowly revealing how buried secrets shape today's lives.
Chance and Zoey's romance grabbed me from the start. He's a wounded vet who defied the odds, she's a surgeon with eight missing years of childhood memories. True to Jackson's signature style, their attraction blazes fast and intense while they uncover some painful family history.
Mama Laverne steals every scene she's in. This 90-something matchmaker with a perfect record knows ALL the family tea and drops it at just the right moments. The way Jackson reveals these secrets broke my heart and then put it back together.
The Madaris family feels like people you know - they joke, they argue, they have your back no matter what. Jackson shows how one choice ripples through generations, changing everything.
The standout feature for me was the dual timeline. Following clues in both time periods kept me turning pages way past bedtime. I had to know how everything connected and what it meant for Chance and Zoey.
The ending ties everything together beautifully, giving both emotional satisfaction and closure to the family mysteries. Jackson fans will love catching up with familiar faces, and if you're new to her books, this is a great place to start.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. This was my first book by this author and let me say it was an awesome read. The intertwining of the present and the past was weaves together in such an intriguing and eloquent manner. I was rooting for their love story just as much as the present characters. The matriarch of the family was a beautiful representation of the African American grandmother and how they lead their family. I also loved how the family from previous stories were interwoven as well. I must go back and read all their stories too. Lastly the love story between Zoey and Chancellor was one for the books. The details in the instant attraction that chancellor found himself trying to fight had me tickled pink. Their slow burn was just the right amount of push and pull between the characters. Awesome read.

I enjoyed reading Spilling the Sweet Tea so much. I couldn't put the book down. It was beautiful watching the characters journey to love. Love seeing Mama Laverne. Definitely would read it again.

Loved how everything came full circle with the Madaris family. Mamma lever’s is still sharp and I’m so happy that chance let go of his hurt to find true love

Spilling the Tea by Brenda Jackson is a heartfelt romance.
The characters are easy to love and their story is very heartwarming. It has exactly what you are looking for in a light romance read.
I cannot even begin to explain how much I adored this fun book.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC for my honest review. I really enjoyed this story of 90 year old MaMa Laverne who is bound and determined to play matchmaker and find the perfect mate for her grandchildren before she meets her maker. So far, she has a 100% success rate and feeling very proud of that record, she is hoping to continue on this winning path. But, will her winning path continue?? The only way to find out is to read this book. I think you will enjoy it.

Brenda Jackson has done it again with another installment in the Madaris series. I could not put it down and it was good from beginning to end. The story was very well written and I loved the characters. It is always fun to catch up with the characters in the series. Brenda Jackson did not disappoint with this story and I can't wait to see what comes next.

Spilling The Tea by Brenda Jackson is an incredible multigenerational story of stories, 9f memories, and of a grandmother's love .... Definitely an enjoyable women's fiction story to be remembered long after the last chapter.

Spilling the Tea by Brenda Jackson is a heartwarming and charming romance that combines family dynamics, fate, and a little bit of matchmaking magic. The story centers around the beloved Mama Laverne, a ninetysomething matriarch with a perfect record in setting up her great-grandchildren with their ideal matches before "going home to glory." Her latest project? Chancellor "Chance" Madaris, a man who has already overcome tremendous physical and emotional obstacles in his life.

Chance, a former soldier who was told he’d never walk again after sustaining serious injuries in Iraq, credits Mama Laverne with giving him the strength to defy the odds and regain his mobility. He knows, however, that despite his success, it’s only a matter of time before he finds himself on Mama Laverne’s matchmaking radar. Enter Zoey Pritchard, a woman whose past holds more questions than answers. After surviving a traumatic car accident that killed her parents, Zoey is haunted by dreams and a lack of memories surrounding her early life. Her search for answers leads her to the Madaris family, and inevitably, to Chance.

The chemistry between Zoey and Chance is undeniable, though it’s wrapped in a layer of tension and resistance. Their instant attraction is complicated by a history neither fully understands, and the friction between them is both explosive and tender. The dynamic between Zoey, Chance, and Mama Laverne adds a delightful touch of humor and warmth to the narrative, with Mama Laverne’s persistent matchmaking providing both a source of conflict and comic relief.

Jackson skillfully weaves romance with deeper themes of family secrets, healing, and the complexities of personal growth. Spilling the Tea is a delightful, slow-burn romance filled with strong family bonds, complicated emotions, and a satisfying dose of drama. Fans of heartfelt contemporary romance will enjoy the layered relationships, memorable characters, and the charmingly meddlesome Mama Laverne. It’s an entertaining read that proves sometimes, fate really does have a hand in love.

For those who enjoy stories about second chances, family ties, and the unexpected paths to true love, Spilling the Tea is a must-read.

When I saw this I had to jump in for this ARC as the Westmoreland's have made Brenda Jackson and automatic read for me. An emotional, slow-burn romance with buried secrets, unexpected chemistry, and a meddling matriarch. A heartfelt story of healing, love, and uncovering the past.

I was incredibly excited about this book. I had binge read the entire Madaris Family Series a little while ago and fell in love with Mama Laverne and the entire family.

Chance got his heart broken and vowed never to love again. Then he saw Zoey. She was in town trying to find out more about her parents and some land that they owned. She lost her memory after an accident that took their life when she was just eight years old. It turned out that Chance lived on the land that she was starting to remember.

This book weaved in and out of the present and the past. There were flashbacks of when Mama Laverne met her husband Milton and how his sister loved Milton’s best friend Wayland. This part added so much to the story. It was great to finally hear about Mama Laverne’s love story. It was great seeing how the past lead to the things that were happening in the present.

Zoey broke past Chance’s wall and found her way into his heart. He broke all his rules for her. I really enjoyed watching those two fall in love.

I enjoyed getting to the bottom of the mystery of Zoey’s past and discovering the tea that was Mama Laverne’s secret.

This was such a good book. I really hope there are many more Madaris Family stories in the future.

The romance in this story had some good elements, besides the usual sexual attraction. That and delving into the past. Too many characters and too big of a family tree for me to keep track of or too care about.

This was my first read from author, Brenda Jackson.

Emphasis on family pride, legacy, and relationships that paved different futures. The story was woven with some past flashbacks that were needed. Everyone needs a Mama Laverne in their life. This didn't end up like I thought it would, but I certainly was not disappointed.

Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC!! I suggest this a story to read!

Ninetysomething Mama Laverne is determined to find all of her great-grandchildren their perfect match before going home to glory. So far, her success rate is 100 percent—and she intends to keep it that way.

After sustaining injuries in Iraq, Chancellor Madaris was told he’d never walk again. Chance credits his great-grandmother Mama Laverne with giving him the will to heal and prove the doctors wrong. He has a healthy respect for her meddling ways and knows he’ll eventually end up next on her matchmaking list.

When Zoey Pritchard was eight, she survived a car accident that took the lives of her mother and father, and was sent to live with her great-aunt who refused to speak about her parents. Zoey has no memory from before the crash, but she’s been having the same dream over and over…

Searching for answers, Zoey travels to Houston, where she uncovers a scandal involving her parents and the wealthy and powerful Madaris family. Her trail leads her straight to Chance’s door. The dislike and intense attraction are instant and simultaneous. But to help Zoey restore her memory, he grudgingly introduces her to his great-grandmother…

In her 150th novel, Jackson excels at what she does best: focusing on family, intrigue, and love in a concise narrative. About a third of the way through, I knew I must obtain the audio version for my mother to enjoy. Whether you are a long-time reader of Jackson's works or this is your first, Jackson provides an accessible entry point the Madaris history (or satisfies any curiosities you may have had). While I am tempted to "spill the tea" about more details about this book, suffice it to say that the summary is thoroughly fulfilled—and thensome. I recommend this for book clubs, collectors of Jackson's work, or new readers.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing an ARC of this title.

Was it chance, or Mama Laverne’s plan, that threw this pair together?

A sweet romance about a woman looking for her past and a man looking for a future. And over it all, a matriarch who holds all the secrets about a multigenerational feud. Zoe, now an orthopedic surgeon, lost her parents in an accident when she was a child, as well as her memories of them. Chance was seriously injured while serving in the military and now he's back on the ranch. Mama Laverne likes to meddle. That's really all you need to know, especially if you are a fan of Jackson, who is a favorite of fans of the genre. It might be a bit predictable but it's also enjoyable. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

This marks book 150 for Brenda Jackson and she didn’t disappoint. Spilling the tea takes you through the journey of love, scandal, and heartbreak. We are given a story we didn’t know we needed of Mama Laverne and Milton Sr. We were shown that love does conquer all with Victoria and Waylon. And Chancellor and Zoey’s journey of love is chef’s kiss. This story bought out all the feelings and left no crumbs. This story is true testament of Jackson as a writer for she is still able to tell a story without readers feeling like not this again. It was great to see cameos of some our favorite Madaris friends and family. I can’t wait to see who is the next Madaris to fall in love.

Spilling the Tea shares multiple epic love stories from different generations of two families. Only problem is, these families have been feuding for several decades. After many years of secrets and lies, Mama Laverne is spilling the tea of what started the long lived feud/scandals of the Satterfields and Madaris. Mama Laverne is known for not only her matchmaking skills but also the keeper of all the family secrets.

This was a fun and enjoyable read. I enjoyed the main story line and the relatable MCs. Zoey, an orthopedic surgeon looking for answers of her past, and Chance, a Texas ranch owner and great grandson to Mama Laverne. But I really enjoyed Mama Laverne’s character. The family patriarch, matchmaker, secret keeper and the one who keeps the family legacy going. She was hilarious, strong, loving, and created a family bond like no other. She really kept the story interesting and kept me invested.

This story is heavily on characters due to it being centered around two large multigenerational families. At times I had a hard time keeping them all straight and felt like many were just a name drop but didn’t have much to do with the main plot except to show how big these families were and how long this feud had lasted. However, there is an image of the Madaris family tree on the author’s IG page, which definitely helped.

The narrator did an impressive job with all the different character voices needing to be portrayed. He had a great voice for story telling and kept the story entertaining. However, in my opinion, I think this would have been even better with a full cast of narrators, and told through multiple POVs, specifically for audiobook narration purposes.

This was my first book by Brenda Jackson, but it's her 150th book, what an incredible accomplishment!